Consolation Prize
by Dear Aunt Elladora
Summary: Sean is battered and bruised, contemplating his latest break-up with Ellie. Emma is hesitant to begin conversation and not sure what to say. Together they stumble through a conversation that reassures Sean in a way neither expected. Short one-shot.


_I find myself wrong again_

_Wondering what it is I should have said_

_about a fallout that feels like such a mess._

**-Ashley Simpson, Nothing New **

"I heard about Ellie," that's all she says, all she needs to say. It's taken her atleast ten tries to create a formidable statement and in the end, all the apologies and sap fall short to blunt and truthful.

"What are you doing here, Emma?" He questions her, his words like a razorblade ripping through her skin. She takes a composed breath, she'd expected him to be bitter but his icy tone had still taken her by suprise.

"I came to apologize," she states and he lifts his head from his hands long enough to turn around and study her. Taking that as an invitation, she slides into the seat across him at the vacant table.

His eyes are the same, she realizes, though his clothes and friends and face have changed, "Why? It's not like you're the one who cheated on me."

She bites her lip, "But I know that must feel horrible."

He's angry, she can tell she must have said the wrong thing as his words lace sarcasm, "Yeah, Emma, you'd really know what it felt like having someone cheat on you, considering the fact it's happened to you _so _many times."

She wants to talk back, to mirror his tone and put him back in her place. But her intentions were not to hurt him, though she knew she could, because it wouldn't be fair to kick someone when they were that low. And, besides, no matter what he said, she still felt sorry for him. But before she could stumble over a response, he continued:

"Thinking you've found someone who sticks with you through all those ups and downs, who you stay faithful to in fear of losing this amazing thing you've found," he's talking and picking at the table, "And then to learn, no, to _find _her making out with the captain of the basketball team." He laughs softly with pain and irony, cocking his head to match their eyes.

She swallows an intake of air that doesn't go down as easily as it should, unsure of what to say, but he takes her silence in like a dog lapping up water.

"Apology accepted, Emma," he says after a minute, "Is that what you want to hear?"

"No," the word falls off her tongue as her initial reaction and she wishes she could take it back, intending to say yes and leave him to his thoughts. Instead she speaks her mind, "I want to hear that you are okay."

He looks at her, confused by what she's just said. He wants her to just _leave, _because he's had to deal with people walking away and he knows he can handle that. Having her care isn't what he expected and what he thinks he doesn't want.

"I'm not," he says, answering to be honest and possibly make her uncomfortable so that she'll leave. She doesn't. "I mean, it's hard. I'll get over it."

"Yeah," she says, smiling, "You will."

And she pats his hand and rises, leaving him alone at the table. When she leaves like he wanted her to, it's not like he feels the abandonment he's felt so many times before. It's like he half-misses her and half-believes she actually consoled him. It's a foregin feeling, consolation, for he's so used to being the victim of an emotional hit-and-run.

He even watches her go, watches the manner she walks away. And it isn't the same, because he knows he'll see her coming toward him in a short time. It's a comforting thought.

"Emma!" he calls and she turns, "Thanks."

She nods in response, the smile he's missed seeing directed at him for so long creeping up her features. And when she comes to speak to him again, he'll be ready - because he rather likes knowing there's going to be someone there.

* * *

** Author's note: **squeeee Sean/Emma, Sean/Emma, Sean/Emma! This is _kindof _a companion piece to 'Slapped,' which is about Ellie cheating on Sean and Jimmy cheating on Hazel and them getting caught, but I don't talk about Sean in that one. This is partial inspired by 'Lights Out' by Pink Bullets, a Sean/Emma where Sean consoles her after Chris cheats on her. So, yes, can be set after the finale, that makes sense if you're timeline-obsessed. And I'm going to go take a nap. Hah.

**_Review, please?_**


End file.
